Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh has urged the interim government to reconsider its decision to allow the United Nations Human Rights Office (OHCHR) to establish its office in Dhaka. 

The organization’s Ameer, Allama Muhibullah Babunagari, and Secretary General, Maulana Sajedur Rahman, issued a statement on Thursday (Oct 31) expressing their opposition.

In the statement, Hefazat leaders criticized the UN Human Rights Council’s role, claiming it has failed to address significant human rights abuses globally, including those in Palestine, Kashmir, Iraq, and Syria. 

Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh at this time alleged that despite numerous human rights violations in Bangladesh during Sheikh Hasina’s tenure, including incidents of enforced disappearances and alleged abuses, the UN body took no significant action.

They further argued that UN policies promoting LGBTQ+ rights and equal gender inheritance contradict Bangladesh’s religious and social norms. 

Additionally, they voiced concerns over what they see as international interference in the Chattogram Hill Tracts, claiming it poses a threat to national stability.

Hefazat urged the government to prioritize national interest and Muslim cultural values, arguing that allowing the OHCHR office would undermine sovereignty and lead to instability in the country.

BDST: 1616 HRS, OCT 31, 2024
MSK/SMS